Chg: Over 600 villagers held for protest at SECL mining site

Over 600 residents of around 41 villages affected by mining projects of South Eastern Coalfields Limited in the district, were arrested today for allegedly violating prohibitory orders by holding a protest at Gevra mining site seeking fulfilment of their demands.
"As many as 679 protesters, including Congress MLA Jaisingh Agrawal, were arrested from Gevra region of Dipka police station area for violating law and order situation," Korba Additional Superintendent of Police S Pauranik told PTI.
Prohibitory orders under section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) had been imposed in the region keeping in view the protest call given by the villagers.

Agrawal, who represents Korba seat, and his party workers were held when they were heading to extend support to the protesting villagers for violating prohibitory orders.
"The protesters were later released unconditionally," Pauranik said.
Meanwhile, Korba Collector P Dayanand said all steps are being taken to ensure relief to the villagers displaced by the projects of SECL.

"(However) anyone who tries to disturb the law and order situation through protest will not be spared and strict action will be taken against them," the collector said.
A local activist Laxmi Chauhan, who was spearheading the protest, told PTI that more such agitations will be held in future if the demands of the affected persons are not met.

"Villagers and farmers of as many as 41 villages affected by three projects of SECL at Gevra, Kusmunda and Dipka, today jointly staged the protest at Gevra mining site and halted the production for about an hour," Chauhan said.
SECL acquired land from thousands of villagers promising them compensation, rehabilitation and employment but gave nothing, the activist alleged.
"If the demands of the displaced (villagers) are not fulfilled as early as possible more such protest will be held in the region and next time all the three mining sites will be blocked," Chauhan said.